BENEFITS OF BROUGHTON LANDING

Broughton Landing is envisioned as to be a highly successful, world-class outdoor oriented resort that demonstrates the best of sustainable development practices while achieving financial and operational success, raising the standards of development within the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area. As envisioned, Broughton Landing offers numerous benefits related to resource protection and enhancements, economic benefits and public safety improvements as summarized below.

General Benefits

1. The Broughton lumber mill site is the only Commercial Recreation zoned industrial site in the National Scenic Area and the approved Plan Amendment will only apply to Commercial Recreation-zoned former industrial sites, thus no precedent applicable to other sites will result from the approved Plan Amendment.

2. Contrary to the claims of opponents of change, the approved amendment leaves intact or strengthens the stringent resource protection measures intended to protect and enhance scenic, natural, cultural and recreation resources. As a result of the mandatory Master Plan and impact studies, Broughton Landing will be the most tightly regulated resort development in the Northwest.

3. The approved Plan Amendment goes extends the Management Plan by requiring not just resource protections but resource enhancements. This would truly raise the bar for development in the National Scenic Area.

4. Years of inclusive planning and rigorous analysis has proven the Broughton Landing proposal to be the only practicable alternative. Without the Gorge Commission’s approved Plan Amendment, the site will continue to languish with no public benefit.

5. The approved Plan Amendment facilitates developer-funded resource enhancements that will benefit the public for years to come. “It's easy for us to be very cavalier" with restrictions, as Commissioner Joe Palena stated shortly before voting with an overwhelming majority of Commissioners in support of the Plan Amendment, "This is a gift, and I don't want to pass it up."

6. Broughton Landing will return this long-underutilized site to productive use addressing the un-met need for resource-based recreation.

Economic Benefits

1. Over 250 full-time jobs would be created during the construction period.

2. Resort operations will create about 60 ongoing positions.

3. Boost local economy through increased visitor spending (estimated at $8 million annually).